


we gain more than we lose

by babyvagabond



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Gen, M/M, its all ocs my guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 23:05:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13421520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyvagabond/pseuds/babyvagabond
Summary: at the start of new clans, the first death of a leader rocks everyone to their core, especially the leader's sister; leader of another clan.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> these are my fanclans and this is the first story i've written for them :0 i'm proud of it so i wanted to share it !!!! hope u enjoy!!

Allegiances  
MistyClan  
Leader: Mistystar - blue-gray tabby she-cat with white paws and blue eyes  
Deputy: Ashfur - gray she-cat with green eyes  
Medicine Cat: Weaselfoot - gray tabby she-cat with green eyes   
Sunheart - calico she-cat with green eyes

Warriors:  
Hollyheart - dark brown tom with green eyes  
-Perchpaw  
Reedsplash - black tom with green eyes  
Heronfoot - brown tabby tom with green eyes  
Spidernose - black tom with green eyes   
Minnowsplash - gray tabby she-cat with green eyes  
Duckfur - gray tom with green eyes  
Rushtail - calico she-cat with amber eyes  
Sedgepelt - dark brown she-cat with amber eyes  
-Tinypaw  
Honeystripe - ginger tom with amber eyes   
-Morningpaw  
Podfoot - black tom with green eyes

Apprentices:  
Perchpaw - black tabby she-cat with green eyes  
Tinypaw - dark gray tabby tom with green eyes   
Morningpaw - black tom with green eyes

Queens:  
Fernleap - gray tabby she-cat with green eyes  
Mossfoot - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes  
Lichentail - dark gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Kits:  
Blackkit - black she-cat with green eyes (Lichentail/Podfoot)  
Dovekit - dark gray she-cat with green eyes (Lichentail/Podfoot)  
Ferretkit - dark gray tabby she-cat with green eyes (Lichentail/Podfoot)  
Lightningkit - black she-cat with green eyes (Lichentail/Podfoot)  
Toadkit - dark gray tom with green eyes (Lichentail/Podfoot)

Elders:  
Runningstorm - blue-gray tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes  
Brightsplash - ginger piebald tabby tom with blue eyes

StormClan  
Leader: Pouncestar - blue-gray tabby tom with blue eyes  
Deputy: Curlytail - long furred pale ginger tom with a short tail and blue eyes  
Medicine Cat: Mintleaf - gray tabby tom with green eyes  
Moth-heart - brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Warriors:  
Runningstream - brown tabby tom with green eyes  
Blossombreeze - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes  
Rainthroat - dark gray tom with blue eyes  
Clovertail - small, brown and white she-cat with green eyes   
Snailfoot - small, brown tom with amber eyes  
Swiftwind - ginger tom with green eyes  
Podshine - gray tabby tom with blue eyes  
Crowfur - gray tabby tom with blue eyes  
Flowertail - blue-gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
Amberleaf - ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Queens:  
Ivynose - gray bicolor she-cat with green eyes

Elders:  
Sweetsong - small, ginger she-cat with green eyes

NightClan  
Leader: Nightstar - black tom with white paws and tail tip, white spots up his legs, and blue eyes  
Deputy: Foxleap - small, red tabby tom with white paws and green eyes  
Medicine Cat: Mintleaf - silver she-cat with amber eyes  
Moonshine - light gray she-cat with blue eyes

Warriors:  
Heatherfur - golden she-cat with blue eyes  
Thistlescratch - brown tom with spiky fur and amber eyes  
Fallingwater - blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes  
Bearfur - fluffy, brown tom with amber eyes  
Olivewhisper - small, white she-cat with green eyes   
Poolclaw - white tom with blue eyes  
Duckmask - white tom with green eyes  
Swiftstep - white tom with green eyes  
Creekfur- white she-cat with green eyes  
Raintail - blue-gray tom with blue eyes  
Whitethroat - black and white she-cat with blue eyes  
Hopefire - pretty she-cat with a flame-colored pelt and green eyes  
Pumpkinshine - big, ginger she-cat with white paws and green eyes  
Dapplebelly - calico she-cat with green eyes  
Mistynose - ginger she-cat with green eyes  
Wetpelt - brown she-cat with amber eyes  
Perchstrike - ginger tom with amber eyes  
Toadpelt - black she-cat with blue eyes  
Amberleaf - ginger she-cat with green eyes  
Hollyfang - black she-cat with blue eyes  
Sunnyhawk - white tom with black paws and tail and blue eyes  
Breezeheart - blue-gray she-cat with green eyes  
Leopardfang - dark gray tom with darker spots and blue eyes  
Flintstorm - gray she-cat with blue eyes  
Lionstep - light ginger she-cat with green eyes  
Echowhisker - calico she-cat with amber eyes  
Leafwing - dark gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes   
Bluetail - black tom with blue eyes

Elders:  
Leafheart - ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes  
Rockpelt - broad-shouldered dark gray tabby tom with amber eyes  
Silverheart - small, silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
Lightningstrike - white tom with green eyes and a long, jagged scar down his side  
Bluefeather - pretty, blue-gray she-cat with darker legs and blue eyes  
SunClan  
Leader: Sunstar - ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes  
Deputy: Rainstorm - blue-gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
Medicine Cat: Pearcloud - white she-cat with green eyes  
Dawntail - gray piebald tabby tom with green eyes  
Milkflower - white she-cat with green eyes

Warriors:  
Cloverlight - dark gray tabby tom with green eyes  
Whiskershade - brown tabby tom with green eyes  
Brindleshine - ginger piebald tabby tom with green eyes  
Dovewhisker - white she-cat with green eyes  
Robinbreeze - brown she-cat with green eyes  
Heavygaze - gray tabby tom with green eyes  
Hatchstrike - gray tabby she-cat with green eyes   
Poppymask - brown tabby tom with blue eyes  
Hazelnose - brown tabby she-cat with green eyes   
Mistleshade - gray tom with green eyes   
Flowershine - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
Hollyeyes - white tom with green eyes  
Hawkmist - white tom with ginger spots and green eyes  
Crowfoot - ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes  
Rosetuft - ginger piebald tabby tom with green eyes

Queens:  
Daisyfrost - white she-cat with green eyes  
Amberheart - pale ginger tabby with green eyes

Kits:  
Sweetkit - pale ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes (Amberheart/Heavygaze)  
Tigerkit - gray tabby she-cat with green eyes (Amberheart/Heavygaze)  
Stonekit - gray tabby tom with green eyes (Amberheart/Heavygaze)  
Shiningkit - pale ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes (Amberheart/Heavygaze)  
Olivekit - ginger piebald tabby she-cat with green eyes (Daisyfrost/Brindleshine)  
Starlingkit - white and ginger she-cat with green eyes (Daisyfrost/Brindleshine)  
Hailkit - white she-cat with green eyes (Daisyfrost/Brindleshine)  
Sunnykit - ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes (Daisyfrost/Brindleshine)  
Curlkit - ginger piebald tabby she-cat with green eyes (Daisyfrost/Brindleshine)

Elders:   
Waspstrike - brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes  
Silvercloud - big, silver tabby tom with blue eyes  
Brackentuft - light brown tabby tom with green eyes

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

Mistystar leapt up onto the Great Rock, purring when she saw Nightstar and Sunstar.

“Good evening,” she greeted. “Just waiting for Stormstar now, are we?”

  
Nightstar and Sunstar shared a look.

“Mistystar…” Nightstar began, but just then there was a burst of chatter from the cats below as the StormClan patrol arrived.

  
Mistystar turned from the other two leaders and watched as a gray-blue tom climbed up onto the Great Rock to join them. “Storm-” Mistystar started, cutting off when she caught the tom’s scent. It surely was similar to her brother Stormstar’s scent, but it definitely wasn’t him.

  
“Pouncepelt?” Mistystar whispered.

  
The tom stepped past the other leaders to the front of the rock and let out a yowl. “The great Stormstar is dead!”

  
Mistystar’s eyes widened and she took a step back, stumbling and nearly falling off the Great Rock. Nightstar gasped and quickly grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, hauling her back up.

  
“I, Pouncestar, am leader now. Curlytail is deputy of StormClan. Prey runs well in our territory. That is all from StormClan.” Pouncestar dipped his head and stepped back, looking to the other leaders.

  
Sunstar and Nightstar could see Mistystar was not ready to talk, so Nightstar stepped forward. “Prey also runs well in NightClan,” he began.

  
Mistystar shook her head, wondering how in StarClan’s name Stormstar could be dead before her. He was a good cat. Despite their rivalry, Stormstar had never started a battle with her, and had handled border skirmishes with diplomacy. How could her brother be dead?

  
Mistystar was torn from her thoughts when Sunstar gave her a gentle nudge and gestured for the gray-blue tabby to take her spot at the front of the Great Rock.

  
It was already her turn to speak? Had Sunstar already gone? From the look on Sunstar’s face, she had, in fact, given Mistystar all the time she could.

  
Mistystar stepped forward, looking down at her white paws. She blinked back tears and took a deep breath before beginning. “Yes, um… Lichentail and Podfoot have had another litter. Five kits…” Mistystar shook her head. “That is all for MistyClan.”

  
Mistystar leaped down from the rock and waved her tail, gesturing for her deputy, Ashfur, to gather their patrol to leave. She moved to the edge of Fourtrees and sat on a twisted root while her Clanmates gathered. She heard pawsteps behind her and turned to see Pouncestar approaching.

  
“You seemed upset,” Pouncestar meowed. “Were you and Stormstar close?”

  
Mistystar was confused for a moment, before remembering Pouncestar was only a kit when Stormstar left MistyClan to form his own Clan.  
“Close? We were… Yes, we were close, once. That was a long time ago, though.” Mistystar mewed, deciding to keep their kinship to herself. If Stormstar had never told Pouncestar, then it wasn’t her place to tell him, either.

  
“What happened?”  
“Hm?” Mistystar asked, clearly distracted by her thoughts.

  
“Between you and my father. What happened?”

  
“Ah, yes, we… Had a fight. You were just a kit, you wouldn’t remember it. There was a disagreement, and he had just lost your mother… He wasn’t looking for confrontation. He decided to… Leave.”

  
“Leave?”

  
“Yes. This was before we were organized Clans. Just a few groups of cats, disorganized and not yet loyal to the warrior code.”

Mistystar looked toward the night sky, at the stars. Was one of them Stormstar?

  
“Stormstar never spoke much about before the Clans,” Pouncestar admitted.

  
A ginger tom with a short tail approached the two leaders. “Uh, Pouncestar,” he meowed. “It’s time to go.”

  
“Oh, yes, thank you Curlytail. I’ll see you around, then, Mistystar?” Pouncestar dipped his head politely.

  
“Yes, until the next gathering, Pouncestar.” Mistystar mewed softly, as Ashfur approached her with the MistyClan patrol.

  
Pouncestar mewed, “May StarClan light your path,” before turning to follow his deputy, Curlytail, to the rest of their gathered patrol.  
“And yours,” Mistystar mewed back, unsure the tom had heard her, as she watched the two StormClan toms walking away.

  
Stormstar had been the first of the four leaders to die, and Mistystar closed her eyes, thinking for a moment of her own mortality.  
When she, eventually, followed her brothers pawsteps to StarClan, would she see him there? Would he forgive her for the things she had said? She had long since forgiven him.

  
“Mistystar,” Ashfur mewed, sounding as if she had repeated herself a few times now.

  
“Yes?” Mistystar mewed airily, turning her shut eyes towards the sky.

  
“It is beyond time to leave. We need to get back before the dawn patrol.”

  
“Yes…” Mistystar sighed, blinking her eyes open and looking to the gray she-cat. “Yes, let’s go home.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Toadfur,” Mistystar meowed hoarsely, as the youngest medicine cat passed her by.

  
“Yes, Mistystar?” the dark gray tom asked, dropping some catmint beside her nest in the medicine den. Usually when sick or injured, Mistystar kept to her own den, but with so many warriors sick with whitecough, it was easier for the medicine cats if she was in their den with the other sick cats.

  
Mistystar reached out with a paw and feebly pushed the catmint away. “I’ll be visiting the Moonstone tonight. I can’t have any more herbs.”

  
Toadfur’s eyes widened and he mumbled a quick, “hold on,” before rushing into a sectioned off corner of the den, meant for the medicine cats themselves. He came back a few moments later with Weaselfoot a pawstep behind.

  
“Mistystar,” Weaselfoot mewed softly. The old cat had, at some point in her youth, mastered the caring voice that made Mistystar feel like a kit at her mother’s belly again. “You can’t travel to the Moonstone like this. You have whitecough, and if you go traipsing across the whole forest, you’ll get greencough, or worse. You know this.”

  
Mistystar studied Weaselfoot’s face for a moment. The gray tabby had white fur on her muzzle and around her eyes. It was well past time she retired, but no matter how much Sunheart and Toadfur begged her to rest, Weaselfoot remained in the medicine den, working. Mistystar knew Weaselfoot would work up until she dropped dead, and Mistystar greatly admired the medicine cat for it. Weaselfoot was stubborn, and Mistystar could see it in her face now.

  
“I will not go alone. I will bring Tinystrike with me. And you may send Sunheart or Toadfur along, with herbs for me to take after I’ve visited with StarClan.” Mistystar insisted.

  
Weaselfoot shook her head. “I can not, in good faith, let you travel to the Moonstone like this.”

  
“Weaselfoot,” Mistystar sighed. “I will lose a life this season. I am old, and weak, and I can feel that my sickness will not be cured. I must speak with StarClan.”

  
Weaselfoot stiffened at the admission that Mistystar knew she might lose a life. The old gray she-cat looked nervously to Toadfur. The dark gray tom was the youngest medicine cat, and though he was fully trained now, he did not know all the secrets that Weaselfoot and Sunheart knew. Although Toadfur did not, Weaselfoot knew very well that Mistystar did not have a life to spare.

  
“Very well,” Weaselfoot conceded. “I will allow you to go- with Tinystrike and Sunheart accompanying you.”

 

Mistystar huffed and leaned against Tinystrike as they climbed up the mountain path. She had tripped and hurt her foot earlier in the journey, and although Sunheart insisted she could easily find the needed herbs in StormClan territory, and that Moth-heart would not mind, Mistystar refused. She could not eat before she met with StarClan, according to tradition, and that, unfortunately, included herbs.

  
But now they were here, at the entrance to Mothermouth. Mistystar straightened up and took a step toward the cave entrance. She stumbled and quickly caught herself, although Sunheart and Tinystrike both rushed to either side of her. Mistystar shook her head and gestured them away with a flick of her tail. “I will be okay. You two can wait out here.”

  
Mistystar entered the cave, leaning against the rock wall once it was there to support her. She moved slowly, her eyes adjusting easily to the growing darkness. Wind whipped through the tunnel, ruffling her fur and whiskers. She closed her eyes against the wind, blinking them open again when she felt the wind let up. Mistystar stepped into the open cave that housed the Moonstone.

  
The she-cat looked up towards the hole in the ceiling, where she could see the moon. It would only be a few more moments before the moonlight reached into the cave and illuminated the stone.

  
Mistystar settled down, touching her nose to the cold stone and closing her eyes. There were a few quiet moments before the stone in front of her lit up, the light bright enough to see through her closed lids. It was another moment before she settled into blackness.   
When she blinked her eyes open again, she was settled in a clearing in the middle of a beautiful forest. Mistystar got to her paws and looked around, noticing after a moment that her paw did not hurt anymore. Here, in StarClan, there was no more pain. She thought, perhaps, being here should feel scary, as if she may have died, but there was an overwhelming feeling of calm.

  
As she took a step to look around the clearing, she caught sight of a feline body coming out of the woods.

  
As the cat came closer, a soft breeze blew back her fur, carrying the tom’s scent. She recognized it in a second.

  
The next thing she knew, she was racing across the clearing to meet the tom. She skidded to a halt in front of him and pressed her face into his neck fur, breathing in his scent.

  
“Storm,” she whimpered, “Storm, my brother-” she broke off with a sob.

  
“I’m still Stormstar here, my sister,” the tom purred. He licked gently between Mistystar’s ears.

  
Mistystar took a step back and gazed up at her brother. “I was afraid I’d never see you again,” she admitted tearfully.

  
“I would never abandon you. I’ve been waiting all this time for you to come.”

  
“Am I-”

  
“Dead?” Stormstar interrupted. “No, just visiting, for now.”

  
Mistystar let out a sigh of relief and nodded. “Pouncestar is a good, capable leader,” Mistystar meowed.

  
Stormstar purred happily, “Yes, that’s all I hoped for.” There was a pause before Stormstar looked down at his white paws. “I’m sorry I never told him. I didn’t want him to take our disagreement and form negative opinions around it. If he were to become leader after me, I wanted there to be peace between our Clans.”

  
“There will be peace as long as I am leader,” Mistystar promised. “I can not say anything for Tinystrike, however.” Mistystar purred in amusement.

  
“And I doubt Pouncestar could speak for Curlytail. As long as we’ve done our best,” Stormstar concluded. “What have you come here for, Mistystar?” he asked.

  
“To speak with you,” Mistystar admitted. “I was afraid… that you had not made it to StarClan. I had to see, before I could allow myself to die.”

  
“Mistystar,” Stormstar sighed.

  
“No, no, I won’t hear it. I’m quickly developing greencough. I am too old to fight it off now, and this is my final life. My death is coming. And now that I know you are here, I am ready for it.”

  
Stormstar pressed his nose to Mistystar’s forehead, sighing heavily. “I will see you again soon, then, dear sister.”

  
“Soon,” Mistystar agreed.

  
Stormstar took a step back, and the siblings gazed into each others’ familiar blue eyes as the forest faded around Mistystar.

  
Mistystar opened her eyes and got to her paws, pain flaring in her leg again. She looked around the cave, dark now that the moon had passed over the hole above her. She turned and limped along the tunnel, out through Mothermouth, where Tinystrike and Sunheart were waiting for her.

  
As soon as Mistystar appeared before them, Tinystrike and Sunheart stirred into action. Tinystrike rushed to Mistystar’s side and helped her down the path to a flat rock where they could rest. Mistystar curled her legs under her and lapped up the herbs Sunheart dropped beside her.

  
“Would you go hunting?” Sunheart asked Tinystrike.

  
Before Tinystrike could answer, Mistystar meowed, “No, no, I’m alright. I just need to rest a moment.”

  
“I’m your medicine cat, Mistystar, and I need you to eat something,” Sunheart said sternly.  
Mistystar purred softly and nodded. “Alright, alright, I’ll eat something.”

  
Tinystrike nodded and bounded off down the path. Sunheart settled down beside Mistystar and began gently grooming her.

  
It wasn’t long before Tinystrike returned with a mouse. He set it down in front of Mistystar before sitting a little ways away, curling his tail around his paws. Mistystar pulled the mouse closer with a paw and tucked into it. As she took a bite, she realized how hungry she actually was, and finished the mouse off with a few more bites. A few moments later, the three cats were off again, headed home.


	4. Chapter 4

Weaselfoot stood over Mistystar’s nest, gazing down at her with sadness in her eyes. The rest of the sick cats had recovered from whitecough, but Mistystar’s had turned to greencough, and now Weaselfoot feared she was slipping into blackcough. There was nothing left to do for her except treat her symptoms and wait for StarClan to take her.

  
Mistystar was confined to the leader’s den now, to keep the sickness out of the rest of the camp. She stirred and lifted her head, looking up at Weaselfoot. “Ha-” she broke off in a cough. “Have you brought herbs?”

  
Weaselfoot shook her head and sat beside the leader’s nest.

  
“Then why…?”

  
“To keep you company,” Weaselfoot explained.

  
“You’ll catch greencough,” Mistystar sighed, laying her head down again.

  
“Ah, that doesn’t matter any longer. I’m as old as you, Mistystar, and I haven’t got the nine lives you have. StarClan is coming for me, too.”

  
“Can you feel them?” Mistystar asked softly, her eyes falling shut.

  
“Can you?”

  
Mistystar chuckled, “Yes. I can smell my brother’s scent.”

  
“We won’t be long now, you and I.” Weaselfoot meowed.

  
The two old she-cats sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the night, and when Tinystrike came to inform Mistystar that the dusk patrol had left, he couldn’t wake either of them.

  
Tinystrike left the den, hanging his head, and pulled himself up onto one of the large rocks at the edge of the clearing.

  
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather at the Stones for a Clan meeting!” he called, watching as his Clanmates gathered around him.

  
The cats spoke softly to each other, their confused voices rising to Tinystrike’s ears.

  
“Mistystar and Weaselfoot are dead,” he called, when all the cats left in camp had gathered.

  
The clearing fell silent, and all the Clan looked sadly to Tinystrike. They had known this was coming for both she-cats, and it was not surprising.

  
Tinystrike leapt down from the Stones and nodded to his brother and sister, Perchstripe and Morningclaw. The two black cats followed their brother up the small hill to Mistystar’s den beneath an old willow tree’s tangled roots.  
Morningclaw and Tinystrike took Weaselfoot and Mistystar by their scruff, respectively, and pulled them out of the den, laying them beside the Stones. The Clan gathered around, paying their respects to the leader and medicine cat. For most of the Clan, these cats had been heading the Clan for as long as they could remember. Many of them had been born with Weaselfoot’s help.

  
Sunheart and Toadfur curled up on either side of Weaselfoot, nuzzling into her fur to catch the last of her scent. Similarly, Tinystrike settled at Mistystar’s side.

  
The whole Clan sat vigil for their leader and medicine cat that night. When the sun rose, Tinystrike rose with it. Many of the cats had fallen asleep, and Sunheart roused with Tinystrike.

  
The two cats headed out of camp early that morning, taking the stepping stones off the island. Tinystrike paused on the last stone, looking back at camp. He had been born under Mistystar’s reign. She had given him his warrior name. He had served as her deputy after Ashfur died. And now she was gone.

  
“Tinystrike,” Sunheart murmured, from the edge of the water. Tinystrike shook his head and jumped from the last stone to the bank.

  
“I know, we’ve got no time to waste,” he said, a little bitterly.

  
“We have to be back in camp by moonhigh, to name a deputy. Have you chosen a cat yet?” Sunheart asked, almost conversationally.

  
Tinystrike glanced at the she-cat, wondering why in StarClan’s name she was talking so much. Weren’t these journeys usually made in silence?

  
Then it occurred to Tinystrike that this was Sunheart’s first time taking a leader to get his nine lives. Not even Weaselfoot, Sunheart’s mentor, had been alive when Mistystar received her nine lives. The last cat to receive nine lives had been Rainstar, and SunClan’s main medicine cat, Dawntail, was not a very talkative cat. Tinystrike figured he hadn’t told Sunheart or the other medicine cats what the ceremony was like. All Sunheart would know is that she is meant to escort Tinystrike to the Moonstone, where they would speak with StarClan and Tinystrike would receive nine lives and a new name.

  
“I… No, I haven’t chosen a cat yet,” Tinystrike sighed.

  
“Heronfoot?” Sunheart suggested. “He’s the most senior warrior.”

  
“Yes, which is why I imagine he’ll be retiring soon. He won’t want to take on the responsibility of deputy.”

  
“One of your siblings, perhaps?”

  
“They haven’t had apprentices yet. I suppose that’ll be up to me now.”

  
“Well, who’s had an apprentice?”

  
Tinystrike thought for a moment, going over all the cats who’d been mentors while he was deputy. “Heronfoot, Minnowsplash, and Spidernose,” Tinystrike said slowly.

  
“Perhaps Spidernose, then?” Sunheart asked, glancing at Tinystrike.

  
“Yes, perhaps… There’s plenty of time for me to think, though.” Tinystrike looked down at the forest floor beneath his paws. “Let’s walk in silence,” he suggested.

  
Sunheart nodded respectfully, and the two cats were silent as they passed through StormClan territory and made their way to Highstones.

  
  
Tinystrike took a deep breath as he stood in front of the Moonstone, staring up at the rock. Sunlight shone down through the hole in the ceiling, illuminating the stone. Tinystrike wondered briefly if it still worked in the day. He looked over to Sunheart, who silently nodded towards the rock.

  
Tinystrike laid at the base and stretched his head forward, touching his nose to the stone. He was immediately thrown into darkness. Tinystrike blinked and his vision cleared. Instead of the rocky walls sloping high above him, he was surrounded by thick grass. At the edge of the meadow were trees, and through the darkness between the trunks, Tinystrike saw thousands of shining eyes.

  
A cat approached Tinystrike, dipping its head in greeting as it got closer. Tinystrike gasped when he recognized the cat’s black fur and shining green eyes.

  
“Father,” Tinystrike whispered, stepping forward.

  
“Hello, my son,” Podfoot purred, blinking lovingly at Tinystrike. “I am proud to stand here before you.”

  
“Is this StarClan?” Tinystrike asked, looking at the forest around him.

  
“Yes, and welcome. You may visit us many times in the future.”

  
“And I’ll see you?” Tinystrike looked back to his father with round, excited eyes.

  
“Yes,” Podfoot repeated, purring. “Tinystrike,” Podfoot stepped forward and pressed his nose to the top of Tinystrike’s head. “With this life I give you patience. Use it well to wait for others to be ready. Not every cat develops at the same pace as you.”

  
Tinystrike tried to draw away from Podfoot’s touch, but something seemingly paralyzed him. He couldn’t cry out, either, as pain ripped through him. When the pain faded and Tinystrike could see again, Podfoot was walking back into the crowd of starry cats. Tinystrike wanted to call out to his father, but thought better of it at the last second.

  
A gray she-cat approached next, and Tinystrike let out a purr. “Fernleap,” he greeted warmly. Fernleap dipped her head before touching her nose to his forehead.  
“With this life I give you a mother’s love. Use it to protect your Clanmates like kin.”

  
Tinystrike grit his teeth through the pain, and as it faded, he watched his grandmother retreat. Weaselfoot took her place.

  
“With this life,” Weaselfoot meowed, touching her nose to Tinystrike’s head, “I give you faith. Use it to trust in your ancestors to guide you.”

  
Next, a dark brown she-cat approached him. Tinystrike recognized Sedgepelt, his mentor.  
“With this life I give you wisdom,” Sedgepelt mewed. “Use it well to make the right choices for your Clan.”

  
Next came a blue-gray tabby tom that Tinystrike recognized as Runningstorm, Mistystar’s father. He had once been the oldest cat in MistyClan and told Tinystrike stories as a kit.

  
“With this life I give you the gift of listening to your elders. They tell stories of our past so that we do not have to repeat history. Use it well to guide your Clan through hard times.”

  
Tinystrikes eyes widened when he saw the next cat, and he rushed forwards to meet the dark gray tom.

  
“Crowfur,” he purred, nuzzling at the tom’s cheek.

  
“Tinystrike,” Crowfur purred in response.

  
“I worried I’d never see you again,” Tinystrike admitted.

  
“Oh, Tinystrike,” Crowfur mewed softly. “I’m always with you.” Crowfur stretched out his neck and Tinystrike dipped his head so that Crowfur could touch his nose between Tinystrike’s ears.

  
“With this life,” Crowfur whispered, “I give you love. Use it to love and care for your Clanmates.”

  
“Don’t go,” Tinystrike whispered back.

  
“I must,” Crowfur meowed, stepping away. “You’ll see me again, Tinystrike, I promise.”  
Tinystrike looked to his paws, holding back tears, and didn’t see the next cat approach.

  
“Tinystrike.”

  
The tom looked up at the voice of the former deputy, Ashfoot. The old she-cat smiled sadly at him and touched her nose to his forehead.

  
“With this life,” she began, “I give you trust in your deputy. Some days, they will know better than you. Use this gift to listen well on these days.”

  
As Ashfur padded away, a gray tom pushed past her and raced up to meet Tinystrike.

  
“Tiny!” the tom purred, barreling into Tinystrike and nearly knocking him down.

  
“Duckfur!” Tinystrike purred, shoving his friend.

  
“So, Crowfur, huh?” Duckfur mewed teasingly.  
Tinystrike’s ears laid back in embarrassment and he nodded.

  
“I always knew,” Duckfur purred. “With this life, I give you friendship. Use it well to form bonds that last a life-time.”

  
Finally, Mistystar padded up. Tinystrike dipped his head. Mistystar touched her nose to his forehead.

  
“With this life I give you forgiveness,” Mistystar mewed. “Please, use it well when the time comes. Forgiveness can save us all.”  
Mistystar stepped back and Tinystrike lifted his head.

  
“I hail you by your new name,” Mistystar meowed, loudly, so all the cats surrounding them could hear. “Tinystar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you guardianship of MistyClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity.”

  
“Tinystar!” a voice called, and Tinystar recognized it as Crowfur.

  
“Tinystar! Tinystar!” thousands of voices called, and Tinystar purred happily, closing his eyes. The voices began to fade, and when it was silent, Tinystar blinked his eyes open. He got to his paws, looking around the large cave.

  
Sunheart blinked at him, smiling. “It went well?”

  
“Yes,” Tinystar started. “I saw-”

  
“No,” Sunheart interrupted. “You can’t talk about it. A leader’s nine lives ceremony is a secret for him to keep to himself.”

  
“O-oh, yes.” Tinystar dipped his head. “My bad.”

  
“Come,” Sunheart purred. “Let’s go home, Tinystar.”


End file.
